The Court of Arbitration for Sport has revealed further details about the non-compliance hearing in Lausanne from 2-5 November with Russia facing a four-year ban from international competition following the manipulation of data related to thousands of doping tests.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced the suspension in December 2019 which means Russia are set to miss the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo – now scheduled to be held in July 2021 – as well as the Winter Games in Beijing in 2022.
However, given the ban comes into effect when the three-strong CAS panel hands down its verdict, it would mean that Russia would also miss Paris 2024.
The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) appealed the decision shortly after Christmas with the matter then referred to CAS.
The dates of the hearing were announced in June and CAS say the panel will be chaired by Judge Mark L. Williams, S.C. (Australia) alongside president of the panel, Professor Luigi Fumagalli (Italy) and Dr. Hamid G Gharavi (France/Iran).
It will take place in a secured location in Lausanne with the parties, legal representatives and expert witnesses attending either in-person or by video conference, given the travel restrictions and strict measures applied in the wake of Covid-19.
Only those directly involved with the case will be allowed access and there will be no media briefings or press conferences.
The panel will deliberate following the hearing with a decision to be announced at a later date.
Those athletes who are not implicated in doping may compete at a second straight Olympic Games, after Rio 2016, in neutral uniforms and with no flag nor anthem to accompany any medals they may win.
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